Boys Track and Field: Glenbard West's Tyquan Cox goes out with three more medals

CHARLESTON — Until the end, Tyquan Cox was trying to find ways to get better.

The Glenbard West senior wrapped up a memorable high school career on a hot, humid Saturday at Eastern Illinois' O'Brien Field, winning three more state medals.

Cox, who earned two relay medals last season, finished fifth in the Class 3A 200 meters with a personal best of 21.86 seconds. He also took eighth in the 100 at 10.91 and ran the third leg of the Hilltoppers' fourth-place 400 relay team.

The Northern Michigan football recruit also made the long jump finals, but missed a medal by two places and 2.25 inches.

"It was a very long day," Cox said. "I'm drained, but it's going to be hot when I'm playing football with pads on. I get 30 carries a game, so I'm capable of doing this."

He credited coach Jon Schweighardt's advice for his strong finish in the 200.

"I knew it was going to be my last high school race so I gave it everything I had," Cox said. "Schweigs told me to come out and go full speed a little bit longer. I did that, took his approach and ran my PR."

That left him with a good taste in his mouth.

"Excited how I did in the open [200], but not excited about how I did in the open [100]," Cox said. "But it is what it is."

He was inclined to take the long view after a career that included a senior football season when he scored 31 touchdowns and accounted for 3,140 all-purpose yards.

"It's all God," Cox said. "He does everything. I look to him before every race and He just continues to bless me."

Cox's senior teammate Will O'Brien also went out in style, taking second in the 3A 800 at 1:55.65.

"My strategy going into it was just to hang out and with 300 meters to go to just try to take it," O'Brien said.

Naperville Central's Thomas Shilgalis was too far ahead for O'Brien to catch. But the Hilltopper outkicked everyone else in the field.

"I knew I had the wind with me and my legs were feeling good," O'Brien said. "I thought I might as well go for it in my last [high school] race."

Another sprinter besides Cox who had a good day was Wheaton Warrenville senior Cedric Rowzee, who took third in the 100 (10.71) and fourth in the 200 (21.67).

Rowzee more than held his own in a sprint field that included Plainfield North's Marcellus Moore, who swept the 100 and 200 for the second straight year, and top football prospect AJ Henning of Lincoln-Way East.

"Congrats to Marcellus Moore, he's the GOAT," Rowzee said. "Honestly I just wanted to come out and compete with the best. I wasn't focused on winning or not.

"This is my last [high school] race, so it's bittersweet. But I'll deal with it."

Rowzee highlighted a big day for the Tigers, who finished fifth with 26 points.

WW South also had points from pole vaulter Jake MacConnachie (fourth, 15 feet), Sean Maison (fourth in the 1,600, 4:18.89) and its 800 relay team, which finished eighth.

Wheaton North hurdler Josh James took fourth in the 300s and sixth in the 110s, and the Falcons were eighth in the 1,600 relay.

York got a fifth in the 3,200 relay and a sixth in the pole vault from Brendan Hill.

In Class 2A, St. Francis picked up fifths from Jon Aquino in the 800 and its 3,200 relay team as well as an eighth from Dan Weizeorick in the 1,600.

Timothy Christian's Danardo Jones was fifth in the Class 1A triple jump.